Health First and Brevard County First in Florida to Implement Mutualink’s Enhanced Emergency Response System
By Space Coast Daily // October 20, 2022
Special event hosted in state-of-the-art Security Operations Center at Health First’s Holmes Regional Medical Center
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – During a special event hosted in the state-of-the-art Security Operations Center (SOC) at Health First’s Holmes Regional Medical Center, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey joined Health First safety and security leaders, as well as representatives from Mutualink, to announce the implementation of Mutualink’s Enhanced Emergency Response System – connecting dozens of law enforcement agencies and hospitals across the county.
Brevard County is the first county in Florida to have the enhanced emergency response system in place to help law enforcement and hospitals communicate directly in real-time during any emergency.
“This wouldn’t happen without great support from our county commissioners, without Health First and their leadership, and opening up the doors to allow this to happen,” said Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey.
“Having the ability to instantly communicate and access live stream security cameras and floor plans transforms how law enforcement officers respond during an emergency. Whether responding to an incident at the hospital or coordinating during a major incident, law enforcement will no longer be responding to emergencies blind. During an emergency, when every second matters, this technology will save minutes.”
During a mass casualty incident or natural disaster, hospitals play a critical role in planning and response. It is critical that hospitals are able to communicate instantly with each other and with emergency management officials.
With Mutualink’s technology, law enforcement and hospitals can now instantly communicate with voice, live stream video and pictures to first responders in real-time, eliminating gaps in communication. This technology will also help police and hospital personnel communicate directly during day-to-day emergencies.
“Any time we get the opportunity to bring in new technology and new ideas with our local law enforcement partners, it’s always a win-win for everybody,” said Robin Rice, Health First System Director of Security.
“From a bird’s eye view, this system is literally providing law enforcement the ability to look inside our facilities at the click of a mouse during an emergency situation. You can’t get any better than that. We don’t have to explain anything to them. We just click the mouse and let them see what’s happening for themselves. This is just another example of how we communicate with our law enforcement officers and how close we are with our law enforcement partners here in the community.”
A new study shows two nurses, on average, are assaulted every hour across the United States. Mutualink’s system will allow dispatchers and first responders direct access to the hospital’s camera systems and floor plans, so police can have that critical real-time information as they are responding to an emergency.
This new system is now connected to the Florida Department of Transportation, the State of Florida Watch Office in Tallahassee and FEMA, improving Brevard County’s emergency preparedness.
“During any incident, gaps in communication are the number one failure, leading to slow response times. We commend Sheriff Wayne Ivey for bringing this life-saving technology to his county,” said Joe Mazzarella, Mutualink President.
“He understands how this technology is a game changer when it comes to responding to incidents and emergency preparedness.”
“It is so important to be able to communicate as much information as we can with first responders and other hospitals,” said Robert Contreras, Manager of Emergency Preparedness at Health First.
“We just experienced Hurricane Ian, hopefully, our last brush with tropical weather this year. This system helps enhance our security at the hospitals and better prepares our doctors and nurses to plan during natural disasters like hurricanes or mass casualty situations while also allowing us better, real-time communications with other hospitals, agencies, and healthcare providers around the region – allowing us to work together on behalf of the communities we all serve.”
This system was paid for through the Cares Act Grant and brings full capability to Parrish Medical Center, Rockledge Regional Medical Center, Melbourne Regional Medical Center and Health First.
